 Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP) & Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) - Applications due May 16
In fiscal year 2022, the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) will receive a total of $97 million in competitive grant funding to help local and regional food entities develop, coordinate and expand producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets and local food enterprises. The total includes $65 million of supplemental American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding and $32 million in funds provided through the 2018 Farm Bill. This ARP funding will promote competition and create more and better markets for local and regional food producers by expanding and strengthening opportunities to sell to institutions, such as universities, hospitals, and settings operated by local, tribal, and state governments. Of the $97 million, LAMP’s Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP) will receive $57 million and the Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) will receive
$40 million.
Learn more about the grants during webinars for FMLFPP at on April 5 and RFSP on April 6. Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by Monday, May 16, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program - Applications due May 3
USDA announced the availability of $72.9 million through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) to fund innovative projects designed to support the expanding specialty crop sector and explore new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products.
The SCBGP funds are allocated to U.S. states and territories based on a formula that considers both specialty crop acreage and production value. Interested applicants should apply directly through their state departments of agriculture. AMS manages this grant program and a listing of state contacts is available on its website. Applications from the states and territories must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 3, 2022. For more information about grant eligibility, visit the SCBGP website.
The Acer Access and Development Program (Acer) and the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) - Applications due April 26
On February 16, 2022, AMS announced $7 million in competitive grant funding for the Acer Access and Development Program (Acer) and the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP).
The Acer Program supports the efforts of states, tribal governments, and research institutions to promote the domestic maple syrup industry. Acer supports two types of projects: (1) Market Development and Promotion projects to improve consumer knowledge, awareness and understanding of the maple syrup industry and its products and (2) Producer and Landowner Education projects to advance producer knowledge, awareness and understanding of research, educational resources, or natural resource sustainability practices affecting the maple syrup industry and its products.
FSMIP offers grants to assist in exploring new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products, and to encourage research and innovation aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the marketing system. FSMIP grants require a one-to-one dollar match.
For more information about grant eligibility and previously funded projects, visit the Acer and FSMIP web pages. Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 26, 2022.
Preparing Grant Applications:
Check out the resources below to prepare for AMS grant application season:
- Read past requests for applications to understand requirements
- Find summaries of past grant awards on each grant program’s page (LFPP, FMPP, RFSP)
- Obtain a tax identification number
- Obtain a DUNS number*
- Register with SAM.gov
- Create a Grants.gov profile
- Explore Seeds to Success for example Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program projects
* Note that federal government is transitioning the DUNS number to the UEI on
April 4, 2022.
The USDA is investing $1 billion to expand meat and poultry processing capacity. Some recent announcements include:
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Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) – Rural Development is offering $150 million in grants to expand processing capacity through a variety of activities, including but not limited to construction, expansion of existing facilities, and acquisition of equipment. Applications are due by April 11, 2022.
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Meat and Poultry Processing Workforce Development - National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will invest an additional $40 million through existing workforce development programs to provide a pipeline of well-trained workers to meet the demand for both current processors and increased independent processing capacity.
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Meat and Poultry Processing Technical Assistance - Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will provide approximately $25 million in American Rescue Plan funding to establish partnerships with organizations that will provide technical assistance to MPPEP applicants, recent recipients and future applicants of the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant program, and to entities who require general guidance and resources on meat and poultry processing.
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More information on meat and poultry programming can be found at the Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Website.
USDA AMS’s new and improved Local Food Directories are up and running!
This new platform is much easier to navigate and has many new features for business owners to leverage. Over the next few months, we’ll be ironing out the bugs on the platform and working with partners to add more businesses to the directories, so that when summer rolls around this site will be packed with information for consumers across the country. New features include:
- Account creation making it easier for market manager to update their listings
- Combining all directories under on platform.
- New Agritourism Directory
- New fields such as affinity groups
- Users to add photos of their markets
- Mobile compatibility
- Integration with Google Maps and Apple Maps.
If you manage a food hub, farmers market, CSA or agritourism venture, please take the time to log in to the new site and look around.
Over the past two years, the Local and Regional Food Systems Recovery and Resilience project distributed a consumer survey to understand shifts in consumer behavior due to the pandemic, in collaboration with their university partners. This webinar provides updates and new findings from the fall 2021 survey, including comparisons to the 2020 survey (presented in an earlier webinar) on key trends including dynamics in regional food marketing channels, the continued shift to online shopping, and how different communities are responding. Panelists representing regional food partners will share their insights on survey results including their thoughts on: “What is most interesting about how consumer behavior/beliefs have changed over the past couple of years?”
Recordings and summaries from previous webinars are available on the project website.
In response to President Biden’s Executive Order on “America’s Supply Chains,” USDA published its one-year report on February 2 that outlines the risks and resilience of the US supply chain. The study assesses the opportunities, including today’s significant investment in the meat and poultry sector, that USDA, other Federal agencies and Congress have made over the long-term to infuse stability, improve equity, diversify and expand infrastructure and markets, and transform the food system. The report specifically outlines opportunities to expand local and regional supply chain programming.
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Guide for Rural Entrepreneurs
USDA Rural Development unveiled a resource guide to help people in rural America start and grow businesses, create good-paying jobs in their communities and strengthen America's economy. The guide features information on how rural entrepreneurs can use USDA and other Federal programs to access financing and other assistance to help start and expand their businesses.
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Each month, we’re highlighting the work of Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion grant recipients
Jamestown Renaissance
 The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation is a non-profit organization which has managed the city’s Jamestown Public Market for the past 15 years in rural Chautauqua County, NY. A Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) grant supported Jamestown with funding to develop transportation incentives; create marketing tools and strategies; enhance mobile market site locations; and provide consumer outreach (newsletter, website, etc.) and educational workshops. Additionally, sales from the weekly farmers market increased annually from $6,259 to $17,502.75. A jump of 180 percent between 2017 and 2019!
 USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt and other USDA leaders frequently meet with grantees and stakeholders when they travel around the country. Stay up to date about their travels and learn more about how USDA’s grants, technical assistance and research supports local and regional food systems when you follow along on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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